Making Connections in Wan Chai, Hong Kong

A key characteristic of the Star Street neighbourhood in Wan Chai, Hong Kong, is its human scale, with low building heights and small footprints.

HONG KONG—The Star Street neighbourhood in Wan Chai, Hong Kong, is an area full of heritage and historic buildings. It offers a fusion environment where cuisines from America, Vietnam, Italy, and Japan can be found mixed among shops selling everything from Hong Kong housewares to French fashions. However, the charming blocks sit apart from Hong Kong’s busy streets and the offices of Pacific Place, and can seem inaccessible and confusing to visitors due to dead-end streets.

Developer Swire Properties is considering how to improve accessibility and pedestrian flows to the area. That opportunity gave rise to a new real estate development case competition for young professionals. Last September, the ULI Hong Kong Young Leaders Group (YLG) launched the competition with a set task of coming up with ways to redevelop and rejuvenate the Star Street precinct. Participants were challenged to create designs that address issues of accessibility and cultural preservation while maintaining financial viability.

Eighteen teams submitted entries. After an initial selection round, six teams advanced to the second stage, and winning entries were announced in January.

Winner: “A Slice of Hong Kong”
A multidisciplinary team composed of Dion Huey from Plateau Asset Management, Geraldine Li of P&T Architects and Engineers, and Jasper Hilkhuijsen and Wing Ki Lee from Arup took first place. Their proposal features a detailed design that retains the site’s historic buildings while incorporating design elements featuring new structures that would create a fluid dynamic between old and new. To increase pedestrian flow, a walkable passage is introduced to connect Moon Street to Star Street, and the plan includes shared spaces and recreational areas for the community.

Second Place: “Constellation”
Runners-up were Fay Fang, Jimmy Chan, Lily French, and Rozana Lee, all from Swire Properties, whose submission includes an ambitious plan to achieve a quadruple-­bottom-line result, transforming the Sun Street and Moon Street areas into outdoor pedestrianised zones and open public spaces. Their plan features three key elements:

The Astra, which would be a mix of residential flats and a boutique hotel;

The Helios, which is a residential-only spiralling tower with a one-unit-per-floor design; and

Honourable Mention: “Livall Glowork”
Honourable mention went to Ng Si Ieong, Yang Yuling, and Zhang Xiangyu, students at the University of Hong Kong. Their inspiration was a focus on creating public value rather than adopting the traditional model of maximising development space. The proposal features an enhanced Star Street neighbourhood based on Swire’s sustainability ambition of people, place, environment, economy, and partnership.

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